Readers — The FEHBlog wrote the Weekend Update post yesterday, but the publish button didn’t do the job. As a result, the Weekend update post was not emailed out yesterday but you can read it on our firm’s website.
From Capitol Hill, Roll Call updates us on Administration efforts to obtain additional Covid funding.
House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md, said last week that lawmakers were looking at other previously appropriated pandemic funding that could be reallocated to pay for the $15.6 billion package lawmakers had agreed on.
The White House is urging Congress to pass the supplemental package [totallling $22.5 billion] without offsets, as it did with bipartisan support early in the pandemic.
But Republicans are unlikely to back any COVID aid package without sufficient offsets.
From the Omicron and siblings front —
- The Wall Street Journal seeks to inform its readers about available Covid treatments.
- Medscape explains why doctors are finding hurdles to use Covid pills to treat the disease. “Doctors hailed the pills as a huge advance in the fight against COVID-19 partly because of their convenience compared to other treatments that require infusions or injections. But patients can miss the pills’ short window if they dismiss symptoms like a headache or sniffles and wait [more than five days after symptoms present] to see if they go away before seeking help.” This appear to be where the test to treatment program can help, but where is promised website?
In other healthcare news —
- Healthcare Dive considers what is holding up the widespread adoption of hospital at home programs.
- Fierce Healthcare offers an interview with Javier Rodriguez, the CEO of the leading dialysis company DaVita.
- Health Payer Intelligence discusses AHIP’s views on the advantages of applying value based care approaches to maternity services.
From the upcoming events front
- AHIP informs us
The Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs will host a virtual event on Tuesday, March 22nd – 3:30pm-4:30pm to hear from Josh Peck, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Engagement, about communications resources to encourage those who are eligible to get their COVID- 19 booster.
Deputy Assistant Secretary Peck will share background and information on how to access resources to support your efforts. Following the presentation there will be time for Q & A.
PEC Brief: Payers
Tuesday, March 22nd | 3:30 – 4:30 PM EDT
Zoom Meeting Link | Passcode: 591497 Meeting ID: 160 756 9170
Dial by your location
+1 669 254 5252 US (San Jose) +1 646 828 7666 US (New York) +1 551 285 1373 US
- The Centers for Disease Control tells us
Tuesday, March 22nd is Diabetes Alert Day—an annual wake-up call to inform the public about the seriousness of diabetes. Did you know:
- More than 37 million people in the United States have diabetes, and 1 in 5 of them don’t know they have it.
- 96 million US adults have prediabetes, but more than 8 in 10 of them don’t know they do.
- In the last 20 years, the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled as the American population has aged and obesity has increased.
If you have diabetes, you’re not alone! Join us on social media this Diabetes Alert Day to share your tips on living well with diabetes and learn what others are doing too.
WHO: We’ll be talking to our followers (that means YOU too) to hear their tips and strategies on managing diabetes, diabetes-friendly food hacks, and more!
WHEN: Tuesday, March 22nd from 9:30 AM to 5 PM ET.
WHERE: You can find us on Twitter or Facebook when you use or search for #TipsForDiabetes.
WHY: To spread awareness and connect with others who are living with diabetes.